Tideways Beach, Sorrento, on the Mornington Peninsula.
It was his favourite spot. It was where his extended family gathered.
During the winter, for walks and sandcastles. During the summer, for sunbaking, swimming and sandcastles. When the grandkids grew older, some beach cricket. But always sandcastles. Building sandcastles was his superpower.
Three generations together. Laughing and playing.
He built the holiday house nearby. With his own hands. The grandkids loved to camp in the back yard.
The grandkids are all grown up now. Great-grandchildren are not far away.
He asked to be taken to Tideways one last time. When he knew the end was near. He was silent and smiling. His eyes were wet but he said they were “happy tears.” Mine weren’t. My tears fell fast and furious. It was too early to lose him and too soon after losing Mum. It felt too much to bear.
“Remember what Mum and I want,” he told me gently.
Today, we are all gathered again at Tideways. Three generations together. Not laughing. Not playing. But in their favourite spot.
The three of us – their kids - join hands and walk into the sparkly shallows. Our children – their grandchildren – join hands and watch us from the sand.
We scatter our parents’ ashes in the gentle waves.
They will be together always. As they wished.
They will be with us always here at Tideways. As they wished.
Golden sand, golden memories.
About the author
Leonie Jarrett lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband of more than three decades, her four adult children and her two Golden Retrievers. Leonie has variously been a lawyer and a business owner. Now that she is semi-retired, Leonie is loving writing rivers of words.
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